Donald Lee Meek of 2777 Enterprise Road E., Clearwater, FL died peacefully at home on July 17,2019. He was born in Prattville, Alabama, May 21st 1936. Son of Raymond Lee Meek and Ella Mae (Kinney) Meek. Donald has two sisters, Barbara Anne and Martha Marie.
He graduated from Autauga County High School in Prattville May 1954. After high school he enlisted in the US Army as a private. In 1955, he married Frances Grant of Marbury. They had four children; Michael (deceased), Frances Denise Horn, Kimberly Suzanne Meek and Joel Langford Meek and five grandchildren; Shannon Horn, Stacy Horn; Jake Brassard; Wen and Nilani Meek and two great grandchildren.
He served in the US Army from June 1954 through October 1989. He attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha and graduated with a bachelor degree in general education in 1965. He continued his education at the University of Alabama and received a master degree in 1975.
He did two combat tours in South Vietnam, one tour in Saudia Arabia, two tours in Germany, two tours at the Pentagon. His last seven years of military service he was assigned as an Inspector General at the Pentagon and in Europe.
For the past 33 years, he has been married to Janet (Beumler) Baer of Kiel, Wisconsin. He has three adult step-children; Gina Sheridan, Dean Baer and Carrie Montero and seven step-grandchildren; Megan (Sheridan) Hynek, Kelly (Sheridan) Kelley, Laura Sheridan, Jennifer Sheridan; Matthew Baer; Luis and Antoino Montero and one great step grandchild – Olivia Hynek.
He retired from the US Army in 1989 as a Colonel. He worked for Computer Sciences Corporation in New Jersey as Director of Deployment and Support from 1990 to 1998.
He moved to Florida in 1998 and worked for SunCountry Airlines and then for Innisbrook Golf Resort. He was employed as a Development Officer for the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches since February 2002 for ten and half years. He was a member of the Sheriffs’ Advisory Board.
Funeral services will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia
Arrangements have been entrusted to Veterans Funeral Care, 15381 Roosevelt Blvd. Clearwater, FL 33760. www.veteransfuneralcare.
Jan and family –
Don was a man of honor, dignity and gentleness. I have admired him from the day I met him. He was smart, funny and surely made a difference for the kids we served together. As you know, he was more than a Colonel – he was a five start General in my book! May the peace and presence of God be near today and in the days ahead!
I have been so lucky to meet both The Donald and Janet . Thank you so much.